# US 2017/0253453 A1 · Sheet transfer assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0253453 A1 - Document ID: US20170253453A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/599,610 - Filed: 2017-05-19 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2014-11-27 - Assignees: Oce-Technologies B.V. - Applicants: Oce-Technologies B.V. - Inventors: Peter G. LA VOS; Daisuke KAWAGUCHI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170253453A1 ## CPC - B65H 29/24: by air blast or suction apparatus ({B65H5/22 takes precedence; } dropping articles from suction carriers B65H29/32 {; pneumatic brakes B65H29/686}) - B41J 11/00: Devices or arrangements {of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers,} for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form (script supports connected to the typewriter or printer B41J29/15) - B41J 11/007: {Conveyor belts or like feeding devices} - B41J 13/10: Sheet holders, retainers {, movable guides}, or stationary guides - B65H 5/02: by belts or chains {, e.g. between belts or chains (by combinations of endless conveyors and grippers B65H5/085; by suction belts B65H5/224)} - B65H 5/224: {by suction belts (B65H11/005 takes precedence)} - B65H 5/36: Article guides or smoothers, e.g. movable in operation - B65H 7/06: responsive to presence of faulty articles or incorrect separation or feed (B65H7/14 takes precedence) - B65H 29/242: {Suction bands or belts} - B65H 29/36: from tapes, bands, or rollers rolled from under the articles - B65H 29/52: Stationary guides or smoothers - B65H 29/56: for stripping from elements or machines {(for electrographic machines G03G)} - B41J 11/002: {Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating} - B41J 11/00216: {using infrared [IR] radiation or microwaves} - B65H 2301/4461: by blowing air towards handled material - B65H 2301/44735: suction belt - B65H 2301/51214: parallel to direction of displacement of handled material - B65H 2404/62: Transversely-extending bars or tubes - B65H 2406/122: Nozzles - B65H 2801/15: Digital printing machines - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract A sheet transfer assembly is provided for transferring a sheet from a supplying conveyor to a receiving conveyor. The receiving conveyor includes a transport belt having a support surface for supporting the sheet on a contact side of the sheet. The supplying conveyor is arranged for advancing the sheet in a transport direction towards the receiving conveyor. The sheet transfer assembly includes a sheet guidance element arranged downstream of the supplying conveyor in the transport direction for guiding the sheet towards the receiving conveyor, the sheet guidance element includes a guidance surface for supporting the sheet at its contact side; wherein the guidance surface includes two guide faces. Both guide faces extending in the transport direction over the support surface of the transport belt and being cooperatively arranged for supporting both side edge portions at the sides of the sheet in a lateral direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction, thereby forming a space in between one another allowing a middle portion of the sheet to move towards the support surface of the transport belt. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sheet transfer assembly for transferring a sheet from a supplying conveyor to a receiving conveyor, the sheet transfer assembly comprising the supplying conveyor and the receiving conveyor, the receiving conveyor comprising a transport belt having a support surface for supporting the sheet on a contact side of the sheet, the supplying conveyor being arranged for advancing the sheet in a transport direction towards the receiving conveyor; the sheet transfer assembly comprising a sheet guidance element arranged downstream of the supplying conveyor in the transport direction for guiding the sheet towards the receiving conveyor, the sheet guidance element comprising a guidance surface for supporting the sheet at its contact side; wherein the guidance surface comprises two guide faces, both guide faces extending in the transport direction over the support surface of the transport belt and being cooperatively arranged for supporting both side edge portions at the sides of the sheet in a lateral direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction, thereby forming a space in between one another allowing a middle portion of the sheet to move towards the support surface of the transport belt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sheet transfer assembly according to claim 1, the sheet transfer assembly further comprising a landing air knife and a control unit configured for controlling the landing air knife, the landing air knife being coupled to an air supply source and arranged for applying an air flow onto a process side of the sheet, the process side being opposite to the contact side, thereby urging the sheet with its contact side onto the support surface of the transport belt. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sheet transfer assembly according to claim 2, wherein the landing air knife is arranged for directing the air flow substantially perpendicular to the support surface of the transport belt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The sheet transfer assembly according to claim 2, wherein the landing air knife comprises manifold outlets arranged for directing the air flow onto the sheet in a landing area proximate to the two guide faces of the guidance surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The sheet transfer assembly according to claim 4, wherein the landing area is arranged for at least in part overlapping the space between the two guide faces of the guidance surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sheet transfer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the receiving conveyor comprises a suction unit arranged for attracting the contact side of the sheet in a suction area onto the support surface of the transport belt proximate to the two guide faces of the guidance surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sheet transfer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the guidance surface comprises openings arranged for reducing air pressure build up between the contact side of the sheet and the guidance surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The sheet transfer assembly according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured for controlling the landing air knife in response to at least one sheet attribute of the sheet, wherein the at least one sheet attribute comprises a media characteristic of the sheet. ### Claim 9 A method for transferring a sheet from a supplying conveyor to a receiving conveyor, the receiving conveyor comprising a transport belt having a support surface for supporting the sheet on a contact side of the sheet, the method comprising the steps of: a. advancing the sheet by the supplying conveyor in a transport direction towards the receiving conveyor; b. guiding the sheet by a sheet guidance element to the receiving conveyor, thereby supporting the sheet on a guidance surface in contact with the contact side of the sheet; c. supporting the contact side of the sheet on two guide faces of the guidance surface, both guide faces extending in the transport direction over the support surface of the transport belt and being cooperatively arranged for supporting both side edge portions at each side of the sheet relative to a lateral direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction, thereby forming a space in between one another allowing a middle portion of the sheet to move towards the support surface of the transport belt. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprising the step of: d. applying an air flow onto a process side of the sheet proximate to the two guide faces, the process side being opposite to the contact side, to urge the sheet with its contact side of the sheet onto the support surface of the transport belt. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprising the step of: e. attracting the contact side of the sheet by suction pressure onto the support surface of the transport belt in a suction area proximate to the two guide faces. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein step d. comprises controlling the landing air flow in response to at least one sheet attribute of the sheet, wherein the at least one sheet attribute comprises a media characteristic of the sheet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) An inkjet printing apparatus comprising the sheet transfer assembly according to the claim 1, the supplying conveyor comprising a transport belt having a support surface for supporting the sheet in contact with a contact side of the sheet, the supplying conveyor being arranged for advancing the sheet in a transport direction towards the receiving conveyor along a print station, which comprises a print head assembly configured for providing inkjet droplets on an process side of the sheet, the process side being opposite to the contact side.